The South’s Largest Collegiate Cross Country Meet in Louisville This Saturday

Louisville, KY- The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) will host 96 colleges and universities from 16 states in the 10^th Annual Greater Louisville Classic (GLC), which once again will be the largest college meet contested in the south. The Classic, run Saturday October 1^st, will bring together some of the top college cross country programs in the nation, as over 2,000 athletes are expected to compete at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. The event will not only feature immense quantity, but the overall quality of the competing teams continues to improve each year. The field will be comprised of 23 men's teams and 26 women's teams that are currently ranked in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Div- I Regional & National, NCAA Div. II National and NCAA Div. III National Cross Country Polls this season.

In the men's race, 2010 GLC team champion University of Louisville (currently ranked #25 in the NCAA D-I National Coaches Poll and #5 in the Southeast Region) should face a strong challenge by perennial NCAA D-I power and defending Southeastern Conference champ University of Alabama, currently ranked #4 in the South Region Coaches Poll. The next group of teams expecting to vie for top 5 team honors should be perennial Southern Conference power Davidson College (NC), currently ranked #9 in the Southeast Region, NAIA upstart Shorter University (GA), ranked #3 in the National NAIA poll, NCAA D-II power University of Southern Indiana, currently ranked #7 in the NCAA D-II National Coaches Poll. Other teams to watch will be Big-10 Conference member Purdue University and Big East member Marquette University, currently ranked #8 & #11 in the Great Lakes Region, Missouri Valley Conference school Southern Illinois University, currently ranked #9 in the very strong Midwest Region, and perennial American East Conference contender Albany University (NY), ranked #10 in the Northeast Region. 

Individually, the men’s race shapes up as a battle of some of the best runners in the country. Leading the way should be University of Alabama, Carrison Kemi (2009 GLC runner-up finisher), University of Louisville’s Matt Hughes (2010 & 2011 NCAA D-I national steeplechase champion) and Paul Chelimo (2011 NAIA outdoor track national 5,000m & 10,000m champion) of Shorter University.

The women’s race showcases one of the best teams in the country in University of Michigan (currently ranked #13 in the nation and #1 in the Midwest Region). Michigan will be racing the GLC for the first time and will go off as the race favorite. Several other squads should be vying for top five team finishes including University of Alabama , out of the Southeastern Conference, ranked #7 in the South Region, Big-10 member Purdue University (IN) ranked #11 in the Great Lakes Region, Ferris State University (MI), currently ranked #7 D-II coaches national poll, and West Virginia University (partial team).

The women's individual race should be an evenly matched affair between some of the top collegiate runners in the United States. Expected to contend for top 5 placing Saturday should be University of Michigan teammates Danielle Tauro and Jillian Smith, Western Kentucky University’s Marion Kandie, Middle Tennessee State University newcomer Lucy Kapkiai, St. Louis University’s Hilary Orf and Eastern Kentucky University’s Lydia Kosgei.

Again this year, there will be competitive high school and middle school races contested after the college event is completed. It is expected that over 1500 young athletes from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Arkansas high schools will be competing Saturday afternoon with the first race at 1:15 pm.

For any further information please contact Troy Killian (502) 587-7767 or meet director David Lawhorn at (502) 330-1933

COLLEGE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Date:

Saturday, October 1^st, 2011

Race Times:

Men’s Gold race 9:30 am

Women’s Gold race 10:15 am

Men’s Blue race 10:45 am

Women’s Blue race 11:30 am

Men’s Silver race 12:00 pm

Women’s Silver race 12:30 pm

Location:

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park